What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant City Attorney position at City of Oceanside?
The Assistant City Attorney is a key member of the City's Management Team reporting to the City Attorney. The position is responsible for assisting the City Attorney in planning and directing the work of professional attorneys; conducting administrative hearings; rendering legal opinions to the City Manager and department directors; conferring with citizens, and their representatives on wide array of municipal legal matters; preparing pleadings/ briefs and arguing cases in state and federal courts; drafting ordinances, resolutions, contracts and other legal documents; and supervising subordinate professional and support staff as directed by the City Attorney. The incumbent may provide direction and assistance to less experienced attorneys at the Deputy City Attorney levels and are assigned to handle high exposure advice principally in areas of land use, personnel, municipal finance and public works contracting. Employees at this level receive minimal instruction or assistance and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the City.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The City is seeking an Assistant City Attorney to focus on assigned high level, advisory assignments with emphasis in complex transactions, advising departments on environmental and land use issues, including CEQA, Subdivision Map Act, Coastal Act as well as in-depth knowledge of the Brown Act, Public Records Act, Political Reform Act and Roberts Rules of Order to serve as staff counsel to City boards, commissions and committees.
Moreover, the City is seeking a highly qualified individual with technical expertise and strong interpersonal and creative problem solving skills. The ideal candidate will have strong oral advocacy, and research and writing skills. Qualified candidates will also be able to communicate in a clear, concise, and direct manner, including conveying technical information in a non-technical manner both orally and in writing. The Assistant City Attorney develops creative solutions to complex issues and will have the ability to effectively communicate directly with the City Council in closed session.
Candidates for this position must possess at least five years of experience as a practicing attorney, either in a governmental agency or in a private practice involving representation of local governmental agencies or pertaining to government-related civil law and be a member in good standing in the California State Bar.
- Duties, powers, limitations and authority of municipal corporations;
- Performs full range of advisory work on diverse legal issues principally in areas of land use, personnel, municipal finance and public works contracting;
- Performs legal research, analysis, interpretation of statutes, cases, contracts, and other documents and provides legal opinions to departments, boards, commissions, agencies, and committees, as directed by the City Attorney or Chief Assistant City Attorney;
- Attends meetings with City staff and/or members of the public on behalf of the City and serves as legal advisor during meetings of public bodies.
Ability to:
- Research and draft opinions;
- Analyze and draft legal documents and instruments;
- Appraise and organize facts and present evidence and other material clearly and logically in written or oral form;
- Analyze and apply principles of statutory and case law to difficult and/or complex legal questions;
- Prepare, present and conduct lawsuits and appeals effectively;
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with officials and employees of the City, court officials and the general public;
- Trains deputies and others on legal and procedural issues.
NOTE: PLEASE ATTACH YOUR CURRENT RESUME TO THE APPLICATION.
Environmental Conditions: Office environment; exposure to computer screens. This position also requires occasional to routine travel to off-site locations for meetings, depositions, and court appearances, which may include exposure to the external environment or industrial type facilities. Extended hours may be required including evenings and weekends.
Physical Conditions: Essential functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting and standing for prolonged periods of time; speaking and hearing to exchange information; visual acuity to read and interpret information. May require occasional to frequent walking of up to .5 miles to off-site locations.
Selection Process: All properly completed applications will be reviewed and a limited number of those applicants deemed to be the most qualified for the position will be invited to continue in the selection process.
Note: Prospective employees will undergo, and must successfully pass, a background investigation, and a medical examination, which may include drug screening.
RESUMES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED IN LIEU OF COMPLETED APPLICATION FORMS.
CANDIDATES WHO REQUIRE A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION IN THE SELECTION PROCESS SHOULD STATE THEIR NEEDS IN WRITING WHEN SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION.
THE PROVISIONS OF THIS BULLETIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED CONTRACT. ANY PROVISION CONTAINED IN THIS BULLETIN MAY BE MODIFIED OR REVOKED WITHOUT NOTICE.
Salary : $166,092 - $226,092
